Dawood lives in Karachi: Chidambaram

New Delhi: Notwithstanding Pakistan’s denials, India on Thursday said underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the main accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, resides in Karachi where he spends most of his time.

A day after government released a list of 50 fugitives who are in Pakistan, home minister P. Chidambaram said India will maintain pressure on it to bring all perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice and build international opinion in this regard while continuing to engage Islamabad in talks.

“We think Dawood Ibrahim has a home in Karachi. Whether all the time he is in Karachi, I cannot say, but we have seen that most part of the year he is in Karachi or at another place in Pakistan,” Chidambaram told reporters.

He was responding when pointed out that Pakistan insists that Dawood is not in Pakistan.

Asked whether India would continue to talk to Pakistan despite its dichotomy over the issue of cross-border terrorism, Chidambaram said “there are issues” between the two countries and “we need to keep Pakistan engaged”.

At the same time, India would stress on its “priorities” which are bringing to justice the perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai attacks, the home minister underlined.

“The government is pressing Pakistan as well as mobilising international opinion to press Pakistan to bring the real perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice,” he said.

He said India will engage Pakistan “wherever we can” on issues like visa, fishermen, cross-border trade, exchange of prisoners.

“Those are matters on which we are engaging Pakistan. I don’t think there is dichotomy or contradiction. This is the policy spelt out by the Prime Minister and I think, this is the right policy,” Chidambaram said.